Hard to get into, disappointed with the ending.

P.D. James does not disappoint. However, it felt like a 'wrapping up loose ends of romance & happily ever after' sort of book & ending; enjoyed it nonetheless & will be sorry if this is her last book. ( )

It's interesting to read so many positive reviews of this book. My feelings on finishing it were that P. D. James, once very much a leader of the serious crime-fiction pack, has long since been overtaken by another generation of writers. I speak as an admirer of her previous books, all of which (I think) I've read. But I found this tale so very slow, dated and, frankly, unbelievable, on far too many levels.

Granted, the classic James elements - an isolated setting, a small handful of characters who may or may not have mysterious past histories, Dalgliesh's philosophical musings - are all present and correct. But this is 2009; as a previous reviewer has pointed out, most English people just don't speak or behave any more in the way they do in this book (nor do they change into 'country tweeds' to drive to Dorset!). There was a gallant attempt to introduce more contemporary elements into the story with the inclusion of Emma's gay friends, but they still didn't remotely convince me as characters rather than as a token bit of 'diversity'.

James's calm, forensic style, in which no-one ever gets particularly upset, hysterical, angry or euphoric (one of her favourite phrases is that things happen 'just as expected') works against her at times: it's hard to see how the murderer could ever have got worked up enough to kill anyone, given that the characters mostly appear to be in excellent control of their emotions. And as for Dalgliesh....I'm afraid to say that, for me, his almost godlike infallibility became a serious irritant. I'd agree with Bookmarque that the Dalgliesh-Emma relationship is so unlikely as to be verging on the creepy.

I too am sorry to be judging so negatively, but I felt the plot was minimal, the denouement rushed and badly-telegraphed (I actually had to go back and read several pages again because the revelation of the murderer's identity was so casually dropped in, almost as an afterthought), and there was simply no sense that the action was rooted in the here and now. P. D. James has had a stellar career as 'Queen of Crime' and I applaud her. But I don't think this book remotely measures up to her earlier work. ( )

A classic piece of high quality English detective fiction. Reflective and thoughtful, with great characters and good writing - this is a really fine example of the genre ( )

Detective Inspector Adam Dagliesh investigates the murder of patient at a prestigious English clinic located in the country. Thoroughly enjoyable, I found myself wishing for the audiobook instead of reading the story. ( )